Au Revoir, Xavier Pepion

The weekend has come to its end. Nothing much! I am just glad the weekend finally arrived, and now it is about to be over. It started off with the leaving party of Xavier. It was a hectic Friday evening – started off with dinner with office mates at a Chinese restaurant in the city actually, and then I was headed to Xavier’s party.

I was glad to make it to the party. Then again, Xavier is one of my very close mates here in Dublin. I am not very good with good bye, but I wanted to be there. Alas, I wanted to take the chance to catch up with Arry, Maribelle, Martin, Djana, Barry and Alan. I got Xavier a leaving gift – a Nike Shirt “Just Do It”.

+ Me and Xavier in Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland

How do I begin to tell the tale about my friendship with Xavier. I do not have many friends Dublin. I want it to be that way really. I met Barry at a friend's birthday party and we became squash buddy. And then, I know Xavier through Barry, and ever since – me, Barry and Xavier become very close and it has been 2 years I guess. It is weird to say good bye really (it is so abrupt and sudden, so much so, I feel that he is still around now). Deep down, I am extremely happy for him that he is moving on to something definitely better. Amidst the bad news now, on job loss at least a close friend of mine is moving on to something great. He so deserves it. He will head to London & San Francisco for training before being based in Toronto, Canada.

+ Barry and Xavier - thank god we wore something bright. To give a bit of colour to what appeared to be dull Saturday

Last week, we took the chance to spend the wet weekend up North. Well, Barry promised us, since he got the new car, he was saying – it is good to be away, just the three of us. Away in the country. He had Donegal in mind. Well, that did not work out. We went to Carlingford and Warrenpoint instead. So the pics here, are pretty much from the trip really.

+ Barry and me - it looks like we are braving the winter, or at least autumn. When it is supposed to be summer

Now there is me and Barry to do the weekend Sports - it will remind me the days when we will take turn to play squash. Barry called me just now, before he went to bed. He was going to suggest for a catch up over the week – coffee I guess. It will be great, I am looking forward to that. Ah, there is used to be always three of us when we meet and now, he is gone. But Barry and I will do the usual catch up as always. Moving on? I guess that is how things are really. It is sad but it happens. Friends move on. People move on. That is the cycle. We will surely miss him.

We have planned to meet - reunion. I am not sure where and when yet. Original plan was going to be this October, in Malaysia (before he broke the news, he is leaving for Canada). They liked the idea. Now that is not going to happen and we will make sure that shall happen. I can understand, with the latest development and the fact that Barry did 2 major hols this year (India and Morocco), I guess next year would be a good idea. I will take the opportunity to get ‘a house ready’. Let’s see.

+ Three of us. Hair all over the place. The wind was strong and we need haircut badly

Other than that, nothing much. I want this entry to centre around Xavier – a close friend who has been there for me in many occasions. You will be missed and I am certain that we will see each other again before we know it.

So, au revoir Xavier!